User account menu

Secondary Menu

Main navigation

There is lots to think about when starting a new job, or when hiring new staff. It is important that there are good processes in place so that everyone meets their responsibilities and everyone’s rights are protected.

Clear workplace policies and procedures help organisations to be productive, efficient and maintain high levels of staff morale. Ensuring that everyone knows how and why things are done is a key component in establishing best employment practice.

Issues and problems can arise in any workplace. If not resolved they can cause lasting damage to individuals, to the business and to relationships. It is important to ensure there are fair processes in place to deal with problems and that organisations adopt a best practice approach. We have guides, template policies and flowcharts to help.

This guidance is for all employers in the public, private and voluntary sectors. It has been developed by a working group co-chaired by Sir George Quigley and Nigel Hamilton and comprising representatives of Government departments, the Irish Congress of Trades Unions, the Confederation of British Industry and a representative group of ex-prisoners.

The Agency has a duty to provide practical guidance on the application of Articles 39 and 40 of the Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 (“the 1992 Order”) in relation to the disclosure of information by employers to trade unions for the purpose of collective bargaining.

Our second edition examines some key issues and cases that impact on organisations throughout Northern Ireland, including - complying with The Bribery Act (2010); pending changes in employment law in GB, “equality law in GB, ROI and NI - similar but not the same” and assistance for small employers provided by both the Labour Relations Agency and the Equality Commission.

This report has been prepared by Marguerite Bolger and Barry Fitzpatrick for the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Relations Agency. It contains an examination of the transposition in Ireland and Northern Ireland of the Fixed Term Work Directive and the Working Time Directive, together with analysis of relevant case law.

Welcome to the Third edition of the joint Equality Commission and Labour Relations Agency Newsletter. In this edition we will cover some of the key issues that are likely to affect or be of interest to you, our readers, in relation to what is happening in the field of employment and equality law from a local Northern Ireland perspective.

Welcome to the Fifth edition of the joint Equality Commission and Labour Relations Agency Newsletter. In this edition we will cover some of the key issues that are likely to affect or be of interest to you, our readers, in relation to what is happening in the field of employment and equality law from a local Northern Ireland perspective.

Welcome to the first joint newsletter publication between the Labour Relations Agency and the Equality Commission on developments in employment and equality law. This is the first pilot newsletter between the two organisations and we hope that all of our website visitors find it useful.

The Agency was given the power to introduce the Scheme by the Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992, as amended, and the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998. Subsequently, the Scheme has been established by means of the Labour Relations Agency Arbitration Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2012.

The Work and Families (Northern Ireland) Act 2015 and associated regulations provide an opportunity for parents to take advantage of additional flexibility in the way they choose to care for a new arrival to the family.

The Wages (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 repealed various Truck Acts 1831 to 1940 and the Payment of Wages Act (Northern Ireland) 1970 and made changes to the law governing the way in which wages were paid.